Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Pecans

posted on November 22, 2013 by Brenda

Growing up in the northern part of the Midwest, on a farm in South Dakota, I can truthfully say that the only times I ate cornbread was in restaurants. It just wasn’t a feature in our recipe boxes filled with the comfort of our very German heritage. But that doesn’t mean that I never liked cornbread, because I surely do. I like it alot, in fact.

A few years ago, I ate my very first bite of cornbread dressing. And I was sold. It was so good! So last Thanksgiving, when we hosted dinner for my parents and sister’s family, I went searching for a cornbread dressing recipe. This Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Pecans was one of my favorite dishes set on the table to accompany my husband’s perfectly smoked turkey. It’s delish, and I hope you like it, too!

This dressing is rich and savory, with a touch of sweetness from the cornbread. I baked up an easy pan of Jiffy cornbread mix, but you could use your own favorite cornbread recipe for this as well. With turkey and potatoes and gravy, I really like having a Thanksgiving dish that lends some sweetness to the plate. I think the sweet is what draws our kids to this dressing, too, because both of them asked for seconds. Well, the sausage doesn’t hurt, either. We’re big sausage fans here.

I also like all the different fresh herbs in this dish, and the little crunches of toasted pecans. If that all sounds good to you, too, I think this recipe could be even a little more generous with those items. Adjust accordingly to your own personal preferences.

I’d love to know what kind of dressing (or did you have stuffing?!) you grew up with. And what you like to make, now that you have your own kitchen. I grew up with both dressing and stuffing, made from bread or croutons, and it usually had raisins in it. How about YOU? Please share!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250°. Butter a 9'' x 13'' baking dish and set aside. Scatter cornbread in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, stirring often and rotating sheets halfway through, until dried out, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up into 1/2'' to 1'' pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with cornbread but do not stir.

Return skillet to heat and add the butter. Then add onions and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add to cornbread in bowl.

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk remaining 1-1/2 cups broth and eggs in a small bowl. Fold gently into cornbread until thoroughly combined, taking care not to mash cornbread (mixture will look wet). Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of dressing registers 160°, about 40 minutes. To brown and crisp up the top, place under the broiler for a minute or two.

Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Bake as directed and then uncover and let cool. Cover and chill. Before serving, bake dressing, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 40-45 minutes longer (if chilled, add 10-15 minutes).

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27 comments

I grew up eating stuffing that my Mother and Grandmother both made and it was tasty stuff! The stuffing was made with day-old bread my mom would set out on a tray table for a day so it would dry out. I have been looking for a cornbread stuffing for several years to make for Thanksgiving, but I haven’t found one that appeals to me. This one looks non-stop delicious! Love the fresh herbs you put in this! Making for Thanksgiving and will stop in later to let you know how we liked it. God Bless Brenda. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family!

This looks so, so good! I have had cornbread dressing for every Thanksgiving I can remember. I make a very traditional version, but I’m more than tempted by this one. I really like the idea of sausage added to it!

Of course I grew up eating cornbread – a lot of cornbread – and I always make cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving. But our south Georgia cornbread dressing is much, much different. It doesn’t have cubes of bread in it, the cornbread is completely broken down and combined with onions, celery, broth, and seasonings. The recipe is on my blog if you’d like to have a look :-)

Hi Brenda- I just made a similar recipe last night, I cut my cornbread into chucks and toasted the corn bread at 400 for 10 minutes. I also added a chopped apple cooked in a little butter and brown sugar for some sweetness. IDK if it will turn out but I’m hoping for the best! Thanksgiving Blessings…Melanie

I grew up on southern cornbread dressing – it was good but never my favorite. So when I began hosting my own holiday dinners, I typically made classic bread dressing. However, every few years I get a hankering for cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving so I made your recipe this year. It was THE BEST and everyone LOVED it! Corn bread, sausage, fresh herbs, buttery… YUM! Very possibly the best dressing I’ve ever made. Thank you, Brenda, for a fabulous recipe and for making a cornbread dressing convert out of me/my family!

I’ll admit I don’t really care for dressing. Our family is known for some pretty bland mush when it comes to this dish. My brother-in-law asked that I be the one to prepare it this year and I was pretty frustrated because of all things…really?! I immediately turned to Pinterest and spotted your gorgeous pic and then read through the ingredients and was hooked. This is, by far, the BEST dressing I’ve ever tasted. My family agreed, and this is now what I’ll be bringing to Christmas, as well. Thanks so much for an incredible recipe.